Attacks On Ukrainian Hospitals, Number Of Ambulances Skyrocketing, WHO Warns

March 8 – Attacks on hospitals, ambulances and other medical facilities in Ukraine have increased dramatically in recent days, and the country is running short of vital medical supplies, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

The UN agency confirmed on Monday that at least nine people have died in 16 attacks on medical facilities since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24. Who is responsible is not reported.

WHO Senior Emergency Officer for Europe Katherine Smallwood told a news briefing that the count includes cases where ambulances were used for purposes other than emergency medical care.

“We will continue to update these numbers. Over the past few days, they have been growing quite rapidly,” Smallwood said.

Medical professionals transport an injured woman to an ambulance after a recent shelling in the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk, Ukraine, March 3, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko

The agency is working to quickly deliver medical supplies to Ukraine, which is running out of oxygen, insulin, personal protective equipment, surgical instruments and blood products, Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said at a briefing.

Oxygen supply, childhood vaccines, especially against polio in an outbreak, and mental health expertise are among WHO’s top priorities in the region, he said.

In a separate statement, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said that Ukraine’s neighboring countries hosting Ukrainian refugees should include them in their vaccination programs against a number of diseases.

They should prioritize COVID-19 and polio vaccinations, as well as measles, as current vaccination coverage is insufficient to prevent measles outbreaks, the ECDC said in a statement.

“Crowding in bomb shelters and reception centers can help start a measles outbreak, especially since spring coincides with the natural seasonality of the disease,” the agency added.

Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bangalore. Edited by Raissa Kasolovsky and Gareth Jones.

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